(a) Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a joint connector, and more particularly, to a joint connector in which a number of components is reduced to improve workability and performance, and simplify an assembly procedure.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, several electronic devices are installed on each part of a vehicle to promote safe driving of the vehicle, and a circuit is provided on each electronic device so as to supply electric power thereto or control thereof. In particular, as shown in FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART), a joint connector 1 is necessary for connecting each electronic device to a power source or a ground connection.
In each end of the joint connector 1, a joint housing and a wiring harness are connected through a bus bar.
Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 1, a male connector and a female connector are connected each other so that a space between terminals 5 provided between the male connector and the female connector, respectively, is connected electrically, where a plurality of terminals are provided on the connector.
Meanwhile, a plurality of wirings 6 each having a socket are inserted into the terminals 5 of the female connector 3, and the wirings 6 are fixed to the female connector 3 through a holder 8 that is fastened to a rear end thereof, and the female connector 3 is inserted into the male connector 2 having the bus bar 4 to be fitted therein.
Referring to an assembly procedure of the structure of a joint connector described above, as shown in FIG. 2 (PRIOR ART), several steps are required in the assembly procedure, as follows: (a) a wiring harness 9 is formed by pushing sockets 7 of the wirings 6 into the terminals 5 from a rear side of the female connector 5 and gathering a plurality of wirings 6; (b) a female connector 3 is assembled by inserting the holder 8 into a lower side of the female connector 3 such that the sockets 7 are prevented from being separated; and (c) the female connector 3 is inserted into the male connector 2 having the bus bar 4 such that each socket of the bus bar 4 is inserted into the terminal 5 of the female connector 3 to be connected to the socket 7 of the wiring 6.
Meanwhile, a joint connector conventionally applied to a vehicle is provided with a bus bar that is connected to each terminal inside the joint terminal such that the joint connector serves to divide current from one circuit into a plurality of circuits or integrate current from a plurality of circuits into one circuit.
Accordingly, a joint connector has to be used so as to divide or integrate circuits in a whole wiring harness, which increases the number of components for connecting the joint connector, thereby increasing the cost and complexity of the assembly procedure.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.